Who We Are
Southwest Initiative Foundation is an independent community foundation supported by individuals, families, businesses, and organizations who want to strengthen southwest Minnesota. Founded in 1986, we’ve become a trusted partner and a regional leader. We work hard to make southwest Minnesota a great place.
We believe that dignity and belonging are core human values and that all people deserve the opportunity to reach their full potential. We are a human-centered organization and acknowledge that people have different needs and aspirations. We commit to removing barriers that prevent full participation in southwest Minnesota’s abundant opportunities. We use our resources to create opportunities for all people to thrive in the communities they call home.
The Southwest Initiative Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and proudly values diversity. We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply.
How We Work
We believe the future of southwest Minnesota is bright! And we aspire to achieve great things in our region by working together. Caring for the well-being of our amazing team is important to us. Physical, financial, and emotional health is essential for our staff to succeed and for the advancement of our mission. Our talent management focuses on the whole person, their family and how the foundation can help people find their passions and talents and align them with the mission of the organization.
Staff members are expected to be trustworthy, fair and respectful, and we’re accountable for our words and actions. We embrace courageous leadership required to live out our mission. We treat our colleagues, partners and communities with empathy and respect and approach our role in collaborative processes with humility, hospitality and heart.
We value learning and innovation. We continuously seek to expand both personal and organizational knowledge, and we are willing to take healthy risks in pursuit of big ideas.
And we’re fun! Whether it’s some work-related poetry, a story shared across cubicles or a bowl of hot soup on a cold Monday, we like to make each other smile.
Our Commitment
As part of our mission and vision, we strive to recruit, hire, develop, engage, support, and promote women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled, neurodiverse individuals, veterans, and others who have been historically marginalized. We are committed to equitable practices, total compensation, and an organizational culture that ensures all SWIF employees thrive.
President/CEO
Our board selected Lyman Executive Search to help hire our next President/CEO, and a board search committee is working through the final stages of the process. Watch our website to stay informed of the search.
